Chapter 1: Introduction

The Augustus Barto O'Barr and Lola May Peppers Family

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copyright 1995 by Gerald L. O'Barr

This book contains the life story of Augustus Barto O'Barr and Lola May
Peppers. They were Americans, whose's collective lives extended from 1862 to 1969.
Because their life story is that of a family (an eternal family), it is a story that will not
have an end. Their full story is certainly still growing, and this book can only reflect a
small part of what these two people achieved.

Their complete story cannot be understood without understanding God, and His
purposes. Much of their actions were based on their beliefs as members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(See Appendix B.)

Augustus Barto O'Barr basically ended up with a family of 15 children. He first
married Sarah Frances Mahulda Pollard who then gave birth to three children, with
Frank and Joe reaching adulthood. With the death of Sarah, he then married Lola
May Peppers, who then gave birth to nine children. Six of these children lived a full
adult life. When Augustus Barto O'Barr died, Lola May Peppers remarried and had
three more children, which were "sealed" to her first husband.

What ever the numbers, it was a large family. Being a large family, with
children born over a wide range of years, there were many inter-relationships of
brothers and sisters, half-brothers and half-sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins,
many of similar ages and some of different ages, but they were all accepted as one.
There did not appear the slightest concern of "position" or "order" or other problems
that seems to beset so many today. Having experienced human frailties, I know that
such perfect relationships do not occur just because of good parents. It speaks much
of the goodness of every person involved. It takes both a good parent and a good
child to have a good home, and a good home existed in this family.

It is hard sometimes to "walk in someone else's shoes." Exactly how hard was
it to live the lives they lived? What might seem hard to us may not have been hard
for them. This family had its start in the South. They had a nice home there that they
had built, a good farm, with friends and family nearby. They were more than well off.
Yet they found it "necessary" to move.

Moves in those days were serious affairs. One did not have the ability to
maintain contacts when one changed their place of residence. Leaving an area meant
that they might not see their parents ever again. They would not be able to help each
other, or share in each other's hopes or successes. It was a serious event.
Yet move they did, mainly because of their religious feelings. They wanted to
be where the Saints were gathered. The effect on their lives due to this move, the
opportunities that became available to them and to many of their children, are now all
recorded. Great things were accomplished. Great insights were achieved. The
feelings of the heart were expanded and love abounded.